hives-like rash with hypothyroidism

[2ndBaby]

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid about 10 years ago.  At the time of diagnosis, I had a red rash all over my legs and torso.  In time that went away, but over the course of years I've developed a skin condition similar to hives.  They appear nearly anywhere, but rarely on my face or scalp.  Have any of you ever experienced anything like this?  Do you think it is associated with my thyroid?  Over the years I've changed laundry detergents, soaps, etc...I use every hypoallergenic product I can find.

Any ideas?

[AlonaJ]

I have indeed experienced this, about the time my Doctor's think my thyroid problems began I developed very sensitive skin.  I get ichy spots, like hives on my legs, for no reason.  Some things make it worse, some lotions, detergents and fake tanners.  I still think my sensitive skin is linked to my thyroid, I'm just not sure how.

[Mary50]

I started getting hives (believe me they were awful, they would come and go but they were everyday without warning)  about 7 years ago and was sent to an allergist who tested me for everything and the only thing that was positive was thyroid peroxidase antibodies, and they were very high.  I have taken a prescription antihistamine for this for years (I also have seasonal allergies).  The allergist told me that I more than likely had thyroiditis but my primary care tested me once a year for thyroid problems and the results were always high antibodies and everything else was in normal ranges.  My TSH was always below 2.0, within a years time it soared to almost 10 and I an now on meds.  If not for my hives, my thyroid problem would never have been tested.  I believe I was always a bit on the hyper side but for sure am on the hypo side now.  Hope this helps you.  

[denball]

Wow!  I am glad to hear that I am not going crazy.About 2 1/2 months ago, my legs started itching horribly, and when I scratched I got little bumps all over.  As soon as my legs stopped itching, it started somewhere else.  This went on for weeks.  I went to the Dr. who then told me to take Claritin.  Since then everything has gone down hill.  I started having issues with my blood sugar, almost passing out several times.  Extreme fatigue set in, I was getting dizzy all the time, and my whole body just hurt.  I have just began itching again this weekend and it is driving me crazy.  I am getting blood tests back from dr. tomorrow.  But it looks to me like itching is all part of this, right??

[Butterfly_Queen]

I experience some hives and itching - but I notice it mostly after walking.  (I'm trying to walk for exercise)  As soon as I am finished walking almost instantly the itching begins.  I walk indoors in clean clothes and clean environment so it's not anything that bites.  However, when I scratch (usually my legs and abdomen) I will break out in hives that look like mosquito bites.  They stay raised for just few minutes and disappear.

My thoughts was my dry skin from being Hypothyroid.  

The fake tanners cause me to itch and break out in the same hives also. Most of those tanners have a chemical which causes the skin to dry and slough.  Because the chemical reacts with DEAD skin cells to cause the "tan" we see, it dries the skin out which causes the reaction with the chemical and then "voila" - we have a tan.  

That's why I think the hives - no matter if you are using a tanner or not - is caused by dry skin - hypo.

BQ >i<

[Nikki0407]

I have just began the same itching/hive thing.  My doctor prescribed a steroid lotion to use, but the hives move from one area to another.  They start as itchy skin and as I scratch them, they turn into a raised rash.  I have Hashimoto's.  I went from .001 2 months ago to 4.6 last month.  I'm waiting my new results that I had drawn yesterday.  Maybe there is a definite connection between hypothyroid and rashes.  I also just got over thyroiditis.

Blessings,
Nikki

[blifree]

I am 46 years old & was diagnosed w/ a goiter at 5 years old. I took medication for this through out my childhood & stopped at around 14 when my mom decided I didn't need it any more. I never really had any problems with this except during childbearing years during my pregnancies. I've had thyroid level checked periodically over the years & always checked out O.K.  however I have always been on the hyper side, never gained weight too easily, always have had problems & always have had kind of bad nerves. Lately (about 2 weeks ago ) I started breaking out with something that seemed like bug bites. It spread & got worse every day so I went to Dr. She said I was having a severe allergic reaction to something and prescribed Prednisone. About 3 days later it changed into blister like hives and went beyond itching to pain, I went to E.R. the Dr. there said I had Scabies (neither Dr. did any skin scraping or blood work)& he prescribed a peretherin cream to use twice. Well needless to say I am still breaking out & came across this site on the internet & was wondering could this thyroid problem be what is wrong with me? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated, What should I tell the Dr. or ask for cthem to check? Is there any thing else I need to know or check into?

[jl94605]

I too am hypothyroid; if my TSH level gets above 2, I have extremely itchy lower legs, much worse at night, and intermittently on my lower back, buttocks, and inner thighs.  No visible sign of anything wrong, though of course it turns red and rashy if I start scratching.

If it hadn't been for unbearable itchiness I never would have asked for a hypothyroid test (even though I have every other symptom in the book, they all seemed like they could be due to a million other causes). I have never had a doctor take me seriously that hypothyroidism and itchiness might be related, indeed I've had three general practitioners and my allergist all frown and say, "well I've never heard of that", as if that means it can't be true! This is so frustrating, because when I got my TSH was below 2, I was symptom free for 1.5 years!

Now I'm 10 weeks pregnant and my symptoms have come back with avengeance. My TSH test at 8 weeks was still ok, and my doctor is refusing to let me get retested now that my symptoms have flared. I'm going to have to fight hard to get another TSH test approved, but I have no ideas of what else could possibly cause this problem. I have no food allergies, and haven't changed detergents or soaps since I went from feeling good to feeling like I have severe poison ivy, only at night, in the old familiar places..... I'm glad to have found this forum, good luck to all of you!

[flyboy786]

Increased my thyroid dosage from 75mcg (5 days) / 50 mcg (2 days) to 100mcg (3 days)/75mcg 4 days. This happened roughly 3 weeks ago and have started to notice hives for the last two days. They are happening twice a day: morning/evening. They last for about 40mins and go away after I take Benadryl. Went to see the Dr. and saw the Nurse Pract. instead. I told her I am a very active person/runner and keep my diet and other things in life on a routine and feel it could be due to the increased dosage of SYnthroid. She did not believe me. I am now sure that it is because of Synthroid. I have been on it for over 4 years and was fine with the old dosage till 4 weeks ago my blood work revealed that my TSH level was around 3.8 (usually around 2 - 2.5 with the earlier dosage of Synthoid). Your comments here are helpful. Thanks.

[cjbethell]

I have been taking Synthroid for 32 years.  In 1996 I started breaking out in hives on my hips, and went on Claritin, which cleared the hives.  In 2003 the hives became chronic, aka uncontrollable, and my allergist tested me for all kinds of allergies.  Nothing tested positive.  So I started a regime of antihistamines and ended up taking 7 different ones to control the hives.  About 2 weeks ago I tried a new levothyroxine sodium drug called Tirosint.  My hives went away and I got off the antihistamines.  After a week, the hives returned and now I am not taking any thyroid hormone.  The hives are still present after one day, but I expect they will go away when the thyroid hormone leaves my body.  So I think that there is no doubt that Synthroid can cause hives for some people, and for me it's got to be the levothyroxine sodium because it's in both of those drugs. I've just ordered iodine/iodide supplements in hopes that I can keep my TSH level at a rate that will allow me to lead a normal life.  Good luck, I know how you feel.  Unfortunately, I don't think the doctors really know what to do about his problem.  I think the homeopathic route is the only safe one for us.

[cjbethell]

I wrote about my condition on 9.26.10, so please read my previous post.  Today is 10.2.10 and there have been new developments.  On 9.25.10 I discontinued using Tirosint and have been taking no thyroid medication.  I had always suspected that the thyroid med was the cause of the hives, however today I tried something new.  Since d/c'ing the Tirosint 175mg, my hives have worsened daily.  Last night was the last straw.  This morning I took my antihistamines (Allegra 180mg, Singulaire 10mg, Ranitidine 150 mg, Atarax 50mg), waited one hour and took my Tirosint.  This past week the antihistamines haven't even touched my hives, they've just been spreading and getting worse all week.  Within 2 hours, the itching stopped and it appears the hives are going away.  The mistake I made previously when I started Tirosint was d/c'ing all my antihistamines.  I'm staying on them this time (at night I take Allegra 180mg, Atarax 50mg, Doxepin 20mg, Xyzal 5mg, Ranitidine 150mg.)  Yes, that is a ton of antihistamines, but my allergist discovered that if I take a antihistamine cocktail every day, I stop breaking out.  I will post the progress I make this week in solving this mystery that has been going on for 7 years.  I definitely cannot live without taking thyroid, as I have always been hypothyroid and have never experienced Hashimoto symptoms previously.  Stay tuned.......

[ak060490]

I am 20 years old and over the past few years I've had many medical problems that lead me to believe it is caused by hypopituitarism. My symptoms include:

1. When I was 17 years old I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata. I was missing patches of hair for about a year and a half & then my hair began to grow back again. (Currently, I am not missing any hair.)

2. Again, since I was about 17 I have had extreme pain in my knees. I went to a specialist, got an MRI, & they told me nothing was wrong.

3. I've also had many skin problems since I was about 17. Every so often I get rashes that last for weeks. Or sometimes I get hives that last a few hours and then go away. Right now, I have a rash on the side of my foot & it is the worst rash I've ever had. I've had it for about 3months now. The rash almost looks like a patch of blisters. & It keeps spreading up my foot. I went to the doctor & they simply told me it was an allergic reaction to something and told me to use hydrocortisone cream, which is not working. The rash usually only itches at night.

4. I started menstruating when I was 16/17 years old. My cycle has never been regular. It is sometimes a month late or early. Or some months it will not come at all. So I went to my OBGYN and got it checked out. They told me that I was not ovulating because I had a hormone imbalance. My FSH level was extremely higher than my LH level.

I really think that all of my medical problems are linked. What do you guys think??? I would really appreciate any opinions or comments.

Thanks.

[donnad549]

Hello,  I am also having similar itchy rash on my legs with no particular cause and have been searching online all day.  What you are describing are all the symptoms of silent celiac disease that i just read on a different website.  I think i am going to get tested for this myself.  Just thought i would share.

[jackiev610]

Hello All,
I too have been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, just this past Feb. 2011.  I have been on .025 mcg Levothoroxine.  Just recently my dr. uped my prescription to .50 mcg.  Shortly after, I could feel a change in the texture of my skin and then found a small looking rash on my torso.  Then it slowly covered my whole body in the matter of a month and a half.  My dr. thought that I was having a allergic reaction to laundry soap.  It turned out to me that I am allergic to a dye that they put in the diffent dosage.  So as of two days ago, I have all together changed meds to Synthroid and now taking two pills that are .025 mcg a day, which we will avoid the dye in the other pill.  My skins seems to be feeling better.  I will post more later to let you know if if cleared up the problem.

[ckaren]

Did Hashimoto cause your rash?

[NavyMom526]

I am so relieved to find this blog!  I too have experienced these symptoms off and on for years... and no one has been able to indentify the problem.  I have been told I had a spider bite, scabies (which I did have when I was about 12, and this is NOTHING like them!!! Believe it or not, it is worse!), but it has never been associated with my thyroid until today!

It is only on my right ankle and right shin...  Went to the dermatologist today and the first thing she asked me was if I had my thyroid checked recently!  OMGoodness... if this is a result of that, I may hollar really loud for joy!  Just finally knowing what it is will be such a relief, then we can treat and get on with life!  This is awful!!

[KOMBUCHABABY]

GET YOUR LIVER TESTED - by the way, your liver converts t4 to t3 so if it's not working your thryoid is not going to be working correctly either. Liver issues also cause ITCHING and rashes...

[missfoxx]

   Well i have hyperthyroids and i get itchy skin and break out into hives.    They welt and turn red after i sratch.   So i don't think hives is just a hypo problem.

[mick57000000]

I have been on synthroid for 15 years for hypothyroidism...  in the last three months i have developed a huge rash mostly in the upper leg area on both sides it burns like crazy especially at night ,,,it seems to take forever to see a specialist so i am on my own --has this happen to anybody else and any thoughts on it Help!!

[jjones770]

I have the same symptoms and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's last year. Ever since starting levothyroxine my hives only come back occasionally, but I think it is different for every person.

My very unscientific understanding is that Hashimoto's, as an autoimmune disorder, causes your immune system to attack your thyroid gland. This means your immune system is constantly active/overactive, which can cause your body to react as though you are fighting an allergen, thus the hives (or in some cases swelling).

I've seen and heard many people with Hashimoto's report hives or facial swelling as their first sign that something was wrong. My brother has Hashiomoto's, too (it's genetic), and that was his first sign something was up, as it was in my case, too.

[gimel]

Some of our members have reported that taking selenium, in moderation, has helped dampen the Hashi's antibodies' effects.  Also I recommend that if not previously tested for Free T3, and Free T4, that would be a good idea.  FT3 largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.  Scientific studies have also shown that FT3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while FT4 and TSH did not correlate.  

Many of our members report that hypo symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper part of its range and FT4 adjusted to around the midpoint of its range.  It is frequently very difficult to achieve these levels when only taking T4 meds, due to inadequate conversion of T4 to T3.  

[pamand3ds]

Have been going nuts with this issues for about five years now.  The rash started on my arms the first year.  Skin becomes warmer, then itching, with bumps under skin, after scratching welts appear.  Rash is always on top of a bone.  Tends to like one side of body over the other.  IE first year, top half both arms.  Second year right side one arm one leg.  Third year both legs.  Has crossed over when gotten extremely bad.  Last three to four months.  Intermitten itching.  Was having fatigue problems and heavy periods about same time, but never associated it.  Had an ablassion (sp) surgery for the heavy bleeding in December.  Rash came out few weeks later, doctor ran some blood tests looking for autoimmune problems (daughter has lupis and RA) and found theroid production low.  Endocrinologist did ultrasound and found over activity in thyroid.  Now appears everything is related.  Cant seem to get anyone to treat.  

[Debbado10]

i too have had a rash dr. thought scabies, PUPPP rash (seeing it happened after having my son), we are testing for lupus and ra, and thyroid. my thyroid has always come back fine are there any suggestions on what tests to run and has anyone noticed it getting worse after a menstural cycle?

[gimel]

Be sure to request, and insist on, tests for the thyroid antibodies, TPO ab and TG ab, along with Free T3 and Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and Total T4), and TSH.

[heidi673]

I believe that this is related to hypo. I have gone to about 2 on my tsh and I Have very itchy skin and if I scratch it turns to a rash or little bumps. I can't rake it, it really *****.  I am going she want happens if my tsh  is lower. I never experienced anything like this before.